The fastest man alive, Jamaican runner Usain Bolt gets his name on one of the fastest cars on earth today, the Nissan GT-R. The sprinter collaborated with Nissan to develop a one of a kind ride with a gold color finish donning Bolt’s signature. The interior also gets custom interior fittings made of real gold.

The first of the Bolt Nissan GT-R will be auctioned online via eBay before the end of October. The proceeds of the sale will donated to the Usain Bolt Foundation that extends help to the young people of Jamaica, creating opportunities to make their lives better.

The multi-awarded Olympian will also be working on special models of the GT-R in the future. The GT-Rs will be limited edition vehicles that will be Bolt-branded and will be offered by the Japanese car manufacturer to its different markets across the globe. Nissan has not released any details with regard to this models yet but we can expect more information as the projects near their kick off dates.

Usain Bolt is now the brand’s Director of Excitement. When asked to comment about his endorsement, the Jamaican athlete said that racing is his inspiration and he wants to help the brand create more exciting rides for the consumers.

Nissan is also very delighted to tap the creativity of the fastest man on earth. The COO of Nissan said during a press briefing that the brand shares the excitement of the world during the Olympics and there is no better person to embody this other than Usain Bolt.

As car manufacturers are being pushed against the wall with tighter emission and fuel economy regulations, sports cars such as the 370Z by Nissan is more difficult to justify from the point of view of prospective buyers.

A new Nissan 370Z is due to roll out by 2015 and there is a loud buzz that it will be specifically built to have a better appeal to a wider spectrum of customers. The new 370Z will be more fuel efficient and lighter.

The build is still on the initial phase but Shiro Nakamura, design head of Nissan, hinted that the new Z will be leaner but with a stronger impact. This might be achieved if Nissan will give the 370Z a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine to make it lighter. Nakamura added that the car will have more resemblance to the other models in the Nissan lineup.

We know that they can draw out more power from a four-cylinder engine but will it be good enough for the Nissan Z? The sports car has been using a six-cylinder engine in the form of a V-6 or an in-line six.

It will also be a tough game for Nissan with a lineup with three sports cars. We cannot deny though that an improved 240SX may attract more customers than a tweaked and facelifted Z. The sales may be modest with the 370Z but it is a crucial part of the company’s image.

How do you see this? Do you think Nissan will be better off if they come up with a higher volume of 240SX or new Z that has to deal with a lot of compromise in order to meet tighter regulations?

Among the many changes to the new Nissan GT-R (2021 model year for Europe and 2013 MY for North America) is the option to get an edition called Track Pack, a track focused but street legal vehicle.

Nissan earlier confirmed that the GT-R Track Pack will only roll out on right hand drive countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, and Japan with the sales beginning this month. The Japanese car manufacturer might have changed its strategy but we recently learned that the Track Pack will also be available for the left hand drive Nissan GT-R markets and will start production by May this year.

This information was confirmed by a Nissan Europe manager thru a press interview saying that the Track Pack will hit the production line by May for left hand drive markets where the GT-R is already being sold except for Ukraine and Russia. The product manager also clarified that the Track Pack will not be initially available in North America, not for the 2013 MY.

The Track Pack actually targets drivers who want a more responsive GT-R. So this comes with features like a retuned suspension, lighweight alloy rims, and extra cooling setup for the brakes. It also comes with a 2-seater layout to be lighter on the scale.

The Track Pack also goes with a front spoiler that has an air duct fabricated from carbon and a pair of seats by Recaro sporting blue bolsters and the emblem of Track Pack on the center console.

The heart of this GT-R is still the V6 with twin-turbo that can give out 545 horsepower.

Among the vehicles that are set to hit the floors of the auto show in Geneva this year, one of the most fascinating ride is the Invader N40.

Unlike other tweaks that are often revealed during major auto shows like the one being held yearly in Geneva, the Invader N40 is not the usual ride these designers and engineers will beef up. It is not a luxury car and it is not a sports car. It is a Nissan Patrol which by its nature is not the favorite of most tuners.

The Invader N40 gives you a beast different from what you are used too. Invader Technologies tag the Invader N40 as the ultimate program of customization for the Nissan Patrol. The new setup gives the Patrol a ride a good those of aerodynamic elements which is comparable to other programs.

The Invader N40 gives buyers a bigger body kit. The front end of the Patrol was also restyled to highlight the LED that goes well with the black headlamps. You will also notice carbon fiber is used a lot for the details of the ride. Aside from these, the Invader N40 gets 22-inch multi-piece forged alloy rims which contribute to the more aggressive stance and total look of the Invader N40.

Inside, the Invader N40 is dominated by carbon fiber, alcantara, and high quality leather. You might say these are normal changes if you are tweaking a car, but it is not for the Nissan Patrol.

Invader Technologies has not yet disclosed what they did to the engine of the Invader N40. Some are saying that the output will not come close to 600 horsepower similar to the L60. We are pretty sure we are in for a surprise and that Invader Technologies really put in the man hours to come up with a good ride.

You might think that a subcompact car that has tag price of under $20,000 and is known for fuel efficiency can easily leave behind a $35,000 vehicle that has only 100 mile range on the sales chart, you have guessed wrong. The Nissan LEAF outperformed the Kizashi by Suzuki in terms of sales by as much as 1754 units. It also went ahead of Chevy Volt and other heavy hitters in the car industry.

What do the sales figure suggest of consumers in the United States who usually commute more compared to those in Europe on a daily basis? There are other brands outclassed by the LEAF and the Volt in terms of sold units, and a lot of people are wondering how this occurred amid the current economic slump. Before going into that, you need to look into the sales of the two Nissan vehicles compared with that of the Smart ForTwo as they all have high price tags and limited function. Last year Nissan was able to sold 3,895 units of Volt and 7,199 units of LEAF while the Smart ForTwo delivered 3,757 units to consumers.

Some answers are easy to find. One obvious reason for the soaring number of sales for the LEAF is the US government tapping the vehicle for some initial electric vehicle programs. Fleet purchases are also responsible for the numbers like GE infusing funds to buy electric cars to replace their fleet of 30,000 thru 2015. The New York Police Department also bought 50 units of Nissan LEAF.

Although fleet purchases partly explain the success of the Leaf, you cannot deny the fact that it also outsold brands that are considered heavy hitters. The Nissan LEAF outclassed in terms of sales cars like the XC-70 by Volvo, A3 and A6 from Audi, 1-Series of the BMW, Veracruz of Hyundai, and the Miata by Mazda. You can also add to this list the Grand Vitara of Suzuki, Azera of Hyundai C30 of Volvo, and most of the models of Saab.

The plan of GE to upgrade their fleet of service vehicles will play a crucial role in determining the sales of Nissan Leaf. We are not yet sure how the government will affect the sales figures since this wil depend on the congress, the next administration, and the state of the economy.

On September 1, 2011, the first batch of deliveries of the brand new Nissan Micra DIG-S will arrive in the United Kingdom. DIG-S means Direct Injection Gasoline-Supercharged. This new Nissan model has an initial tag price of £11,500.

Last March, the redesigned Nissan Micra DIG-S was debuted at the Geneva Motor Show. The model boasts of a supercharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine with 95 horsepower. Based on the carmaker’s statement, the new engine can duplicate the engine performance of bigger petrol engines while maintaining a fuel efficiency of a diesel unit. This claim was held by the 68.9 mpgUK and 95 g/km CO2 emission figures of the Visia model. For the Acenta and Tekna models, which are relatively heavier and more sophisticated, the figures are 65.7 mpg UK and 99 g/km.

The new Direct Injection Gasoline-Supercharged engine runs on the Miller Cycle. Here, the inlet valve remains open for a longer period of time. The Micra DIG-S models have this kind of direct injection mechanism along with a high compression ratio, uniquely shaped pistons, variable timing control that comes with eco mode, and an automatic stop-start system. The Micra DIGS-s car gives an immunity to congestion and road tax charges in the UK along with a high fuel efficiency rate.

The non-supercharged base model of the Micra is£1,000 lower compared to the DIG-S model. The Visia has an initial tag price of £11,150. The Tekna costs £13,650 while the Acenta costs £12,150. There’s an optional CVT auto transmission feature that adds £1,000 to the cars’ basic price.

The first mass-produced battery-electric car is produced by economy car giant Nissan and is aptly called Leaf and the Japanese carmaker has sold over 4,000 Leaf models in the U.S. with a total of 3, 894 this June 2011. The automobile giant made announcements that it will keep up with its sales demands in the initial 7 sales areas where the Leaf was first introduced and will soon announce sales regions in the East Coast. Nissan gives us confirmed updates on the models for 2012 and 2013.

2012 Leaf Updates

The 2012 Leaf models will roll out in dealer sites before the end of November according to the topman for sales and marketing strategy, Brendan Jones. All 2012 models will get the so-called package for Cold Weather where the steering wheel, front seats, external rear- mirrors and battery packs are all heated plus a heater feature for the rear.

2013 Leaf Updates

From the standard 240-Volt Level 2 charger, the 2013 models will be equipped with the 6.6 kilowatts version. This will reduce the recharging time needed by the lithium-ion battery. According to product planning director, Mark Perry, upgrading of the charger would take a year or so. This was confirmed by corporate communication’s senior manager, Katherine Zachary, and indeed, the 2013 models will get an upgraded charger.

The 2013 Leaf models would also be released in showrooms in Smyrna in the state of Tennessee. While these are the only updates the car giant has released, it wouldn’t come as a surprise when the future Leaf models would get further equipment upgrades.

The luxury division of Nissan, Infiniti is showing its class as a premier carmaker by giving importantce to the customer experience as much as producing great vehicles. One may argue that it is doing even better in Europe compared to its rivals with the brand just being a newcomer to boot.

Infiniti gives the European market the Black Premium EX which is based on the premium trim EX30d GT that runs on diesel. It is called Black edition primarily because it is finished with metallic Malbec (simply put that is Infiniti’s black paint). The Black Premium EX also features graphite leather clad interiors, a sunroof, a sound system by bose, and alloy rims.

The Black Premium depends on V6 238 PS diesel powerplant. The luxury vehicle by Infiniti was rolled out simultaneoulsy in all their market areas in Europe. The coupe crossover is among the first of its class in the world with a good combo of luxury, refinement, and brute torque of 550 Nm.

The Infiniti Black Premium also comes with a wide array of technologies to boost safety, comfort, and fun while driving.

Now that we have covered about the vehicle, let us talk about the customer experience. Get the Black Premium and you will get an overnight stay in any of the luxury hotels listed with the group of Relais and Chateau. You also get an exclusive membership to the elite Club 5C.

There will only be 500 units of the Black Premium rolling out of the European market. If you are interested, prepare a check for £45,671.

Nissan announced the official prices for the sedan model and hatchback version of the 2011 Versa which have already rolled out to their dealers in the United States. The base model of the Nissan Versa remains at $9,990 but consumers need to shoulder a shipping cost of $750 or $10 higher than last year which makes the list price of the base model $10,740.

The styling and engine of the 2011 Versa is practically unchanged except for the addition and adjustment of certain requirements. The 1.6 Sedan et an ABS or Anti-lock Braking System while the 1.8 S sedan gets an in-dash CD player.

The other models of the 2011 Versa increased: 1.6 sedan Versa goes for $11,240 (up by $160); 1.8 S Versa sedan sells for $13,570 (up by $230); 1.8 S hatchback Versa at $13,520 (up by $130); 1.8 SL Versa Sedan goes for $16,470(up by $130); and 1.8 SL Versa hatchback o $16,900 (up by $130). All of the prices include the shipping charge of $750.

Despite the slight jump in prices, the Nissan Versa still remains as one of the most affordable cars in the US.

The pricing for the 2011 GT-R was officially released by Japanese carmaker recently as they roll out of selected dealerships in the United States. Nissan also announced that they will only be releasing the GT-R Premium and will be eliminating the base model of their sports car as the 2011 model.

The suggested retail price for the Nissan GT-R starts at $84,060 which does not include any license fees and taxes. The current model is just $1,000 more expensive the the GT-R Premium 2010 model.

The second update of the GT-R since it was launched before the end of 2007 features reconfigured suspension and toughened rear bushes to improve the ride comfort.

The designers also installed improved cooling ducts to improve the overall cooling performance of the rear floor portion. The center caps of the wheels were also made slightly darker while the fascias for both ends of the car received a double clear coating.